Combination folding table and blackboard



March 26, 1946. A, H. BuRK EM AN j COMBINATION FOLDING TABLE AND BLACKBOARD 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 25, 1944" March 26, 1946. A. H. BURKEMAN COMBINATION FOLDING TABLE AND BLACKBOARD 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed sep t. 25, 1944 Patented Mar. 26, 1946 GOMB'INATION FOLDING 2 Claims.

' My nv ntion relates, toimprovements in com.- bined ,foldingtables andblackboards and wherein one sideof the table top is ,a blackboard.

The, objectsofrmy. improvement are: first, to provide a table having a. top comprising a hingedly attached frame and a panel pivoted to the frame, one side of the panel being a blackboard; second, to provide a table having a top comprising a hingedly attached frame and a panel pivoted to the frame and serving as a support for the frame when the table top is open and the blackboard is in an operative position; and third, to provide a table having a top comprising a hingedly attached frame and a panel pivoted to the frame, one side of the panel being a blackboard and a chalk rail on the panel affording a support for the panel When the top is closed in the plane of the frame and also affording a support for the panel when the top is open and the blackboard is in an operative position.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the drawings.

To the above end, generally stated, the invention consists of the novel construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and defined in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the invention, like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. l is a front elevation of the table;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the table;

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the table, some.

parts being broken away Fig. 4 is a View principally in longitudinal section taken on the line 4--4 of Fig. 3 and showing the legs folded;

Fi 5 is a view in transverse section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a view principally in front elevation showing the table top open and the blackboard in an operative position, some parts being broken away and sectioned; and

Fig. 7 is a view in transverse section taken on the line (-1 of Fig. 6.

The rectangular body of the. table comprises a pair of side members 8, a pair of end members 9 and a bottom member ID. These members 8, 9 and HI form, within the body of the table, a compartment At each end of the table body is a pair of legs |2 pivoted at I3 to the side members 8. The legs ll, of each pair, are rigidly connected by a cross-tie bar I4. By reference to Fig. 1, it will be noted that the pivots l3 of the left hand pair .o f legsv l2; are. higher. than the pivots.v L3; for. the. other, pair. of. said legs. This arrangement of the pivots, l3. permits the. left.-

hand pair, of, legsv 2; to, be, folded; inwardly onto 5 01:. substantially. onto ..the.bottom member |0., see Fig. 5', and it also permits the right-hand pair of legs |2' to be folded directly under the first noted pair of legs. The.legs |2 extend considerably above their pivots l3 for engagement with the end members 9 for limiting the outward swinging movement of said legs and stop the same in upright positions. Turn-buttons l5 pivoted to the end members 9 for overlapping engagement with the cross-bars M, are provided for holding the pairs of legs |2 against inward folding movement.

The top of the table includes a rectangular frame l6 comprising side members I! and I8 and end members IS. The side member I8 extends between the end members I9, at their respective ends, and is pivoted thereto, as indicated at 20. This table top further includes a panel 2| rigidly secured at one of its longitudinal edge portions to the pivoted side member I 8 for swinging move- 25 ment into and out of the plane of the frame I6.

Looking at the table top in another way, the frame I6 may be considered as comprising the side member I! and the end members l9 and to which end members l9 the panel 2| is pivoted. Hinges 22 connect the frame member II to the rear side member 8 of the table body and attach the table top to said body for opening and c1osing movements. The under side of the panel 2|, when the table top is closed, is a blackboard 23. A chalk rail 24 is secured to the panel 2| at its free longitudinal edge portion. This chalk rail 24, on its back, is rabbeted to form a stop shoulder 25.

When the table top is closed, its frame l6 rests on the upper edges of the body side members 8 and end members 9, see Fig. 5. Also at this time the shoulder 25 of the chalk rail 24 rests on the rear side member 8 and supports the panel 2| within the plane of the frame I6. To place the blackboard 23 in an operative position, the table top is raised and the pane1 2| at its lower end is swung forwardly to bring said panel into a rearwardly inclined position. The table top is thus held in its open position by placing the chalk rail 24 into a flute 26 in the upper edge of the front side member 8 of the table body, see Fig. 7.

When the table top is closed, it affords a closure for the compartment The drawings illustrate a commercial form of the invention, but it will be understood that the e a v .7 or: 7

same is capable of certain modifications as to details of construction, arrangement and combination of parts within the scope of the invention herein disclosed.

What I claim is: r

1. A table having a rectilinear body comprising front, back, side and bottom members affordingan open top compartment, a top for the table comprising a U-frame and a panel, the transverse member of the frame being hingedto theback member of the body and resting on said member when the top is closed, the arms of the frame being outward of the side members of the body, said panel, when the top is'closed, lies substantially in the plane of the frame and being pivoted at movement from the under side of the frame when the top is open, the front portion of the panel resting on the front member of the body when ing an open top compartment, a top for the table comprising a U-frame and a panel, the transverse member of the frame being hinged to the back member of the body and resting on said member when the top is closed, the arms of the frame being outward of the side members of the body, said panel, when the top is closed, lying substantially in the plane of the frame and being pivoted at its front corner portions to the free end portions of the arms of the frame for outward swinging movement from the under sideiof the frame when the top is open, the front portion of the panel resting on the front member of the body when the top is closed and supporting the arms of the frame at their outer end portions, and a chalk rail on the free edge portion of the panel and extending thereunder when the top is closed, said chalk railhaving a shoulder that rests on the back member of the body when the top is closed, and supports the panel therefrom, the

AXEL H. BURKEMAN. 

